Sweet Surrender: The Brownies of Sugar Bakery+Cafe in First Hill

Nothing is worse than a bummer brownie, and we at Cakespy have been burned in the past: Dry ones, too-sweet ones, burned ones. But then, just when you least expect it, a brownie comes along that just restores your faith in the entire breed of baked good.

For us, this brownie was the one from newly opened Sugar Bakery+Cafe in First Hill.

The brownie was had when head Spy Jessie was dropping off replacement artwork for the sold pieces from the opening party and picked up a few pastries to bring home. Naturally, some baked goods must be taken home, and this was chosen practically on a whim: “one of that, one of that, one of that”. Brownies were available with nuts and without; we went for nuts, because sometimes you feel like one. But it wasn’t until opening the parcel at home that we really saw this brownie’s true beauty. It was a perfect size: not huge, but not so small that it would leave you hanging. Oh, no. Biting into this brownie, it was so packed with good-quality chocolate that it felt more like an extremely cakey, velvety fudge. And the flavor, oh, the flavor. Its chocolatiness is an all-consuming experience: although we initially tried it with a sip of champagne for a recent tasting, it quickly became evident that this brownie needed milk. With Silk unsweetened soy milk it was an absolute dream: Creamy milk, dense chocolatiness…finishing the brownie left us spent, able only to lay on the sofa and idly click around channels, hoping to find an episode of Law & Order to which we might doze off.

And that’s what we’d call sweet surrender.

Brownies may not be available everyday; call for availability. Sugar Bakery + Cafe is located at 1014 Madison Street, First Hill. (206) 749-4105; online at sugarbakerycafe.com.